Category Archives: GDC

We've been pretty dedicated with our various game of the week choices over the months since we've started the column, but we're doing something a little different this week since 98% of our attention went towards games we saw at GDC. So, here's the Game of GDC. Weirder yet, since most of the games we've seen are either works in progress or prototypes, we've decided what we're shooting for with this nomination is the game that seems the most promising to be really radical when it's finally released...

One of the quirkiest and most oddly entertaining iOS games is Secret Exit's Stair Dismount [Free]. The original Stair Dismount dates all the way back to 2002, and sees you pushing a helpless crash test dummy-like character named Mr. Dismount down a flight of stairs and racking up the most damage possible to his body. It used rag doll physics so the dummy's tumble often resulted in hilarity, and there was a twisted sense of satisfaction as you inflicted injury on poor Mr. Dismount. Shortly after the original Stair Dismount came Truck Dismount, which again tasked you with inflicting as much damage to Mr. Dismount as possible but this time gave you a vehicle, ramps, and booster pads to do it with...

To coincide with the movie of the same title launching around the same time is Gameloft's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It's another comic book beat 'em up, set in the Captain America universe (obviously) but the incredible part is just how much better it looks than Gameloft's previous similar games. Full shadows, reflections, and more. Check it out:..

Rocketcat Games make some of my favorite iOS titles, and ever since they announced a spinoff to their action RPG Mage Gauntlet [$2.99] at last year's GDC, I've been dying to get my hands on a finished version. However, it's been a longer development cycle than Rocketcat expected, and it's seen several versions and name changes in the two and a half years since they began working on it. The bright side is that all that extra development time means the game, now known as Wayward Souls, is absolutely stuffed with crazy features, enemies, items and playable characters. Rocketcat's always entertaining Kepa Auwae walks us through a lengthy demo of the latest version of Wayward Souls. Enjoy...

One of the iOS platform's greatest platformers is Bean's Quest [$2.99], released way back in July of 2011 from developer Kumobius. In case you aren't familiar, it's a platformer about a perpetually bouncing bean and, along with goals like collecting all items in a level and searching out a hidden axolotl, the main goal was to complete each level using as few bounces as possible. While it launched as a very short experience, Bean's Quest was continuously updated over the years with tons more content. The sequel, Bean's Quest 2, won't have that problem, as Kumobius is prepping tons of levels for the initial version along with plenty of new mechanics and little surprises to find. Check it out...

Last night we had a small gathering for developer and fans of TouchArcade to come hand out and shoot the breeze, and one game that was getting a lot of buzz as it made its way around the crowd is Daniel Goffin's Symmetrain [$1.99]. While not exactly a new gameâ€“it was released back in late October, and Eli's even streamed it a few times on our Twitch channelâ€“I personally hadn't seen it, and both its premise and lovely art style really caught my attention. As the title of this post suggests, Symmetrain mashes together an endless progression with a spot the difference mechanic. It sounds super weird, but it totally works. Check out our video of Symmetrain as we chat with Daniel about his game...

Pixel People came out early last year, and we couldn't get enough of it in our review. If you loved Pixel People, the pseudo-sequel of sorts, Pixel Powers is something you can't miss. Instead of building a city, you're saving a city with a whole host of super heroes that you build up. Check out the demo:..

Not long ago we posted the announcement trailer of Seabeard, a new game from the developers of Rolando developed in partnership with Backflip Studios. Back then, we really didn't know what you do in the game as it seemed like you do everything. Well, after a brief demo from Hand Circus's own Simon Oliver, it really seems like the game is less of a "game" with a specific task/goal and more of a sandbox-y world you just enjoy...

It seems like everyone with an upcoming soccer game is racing to release titles prior to the start of the World Cup, and LambdaMu Games is no different. We reviewed the original Dice Soccer all the way back in 2011, and it seems that the sequel is a worthy upgrade in basically every way imaginable...

Already available on the App Store, X-Men: Battle of the Atom [Free] is one of the legit countless free to play collectable card games out there. However, it's got some neat features that might make it worth a second look if you passed it up when it launched in mid-January. Namely, massive player versus player battles that actually require a bit of coordination and communication once you get deeper in:..

With such hits as Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor and Waking Mars, Tiger Style are easily one of my favorite iOS developers. That's why it was such a big deal this past October when they revealed a new project through a cryptic teaser site that alluded to something called Blackbird Estate. About a month later, it was then revealed that their new project was actually a sequel to Spider, and Blackbird Estate would be the new location that you'd be exploring as an eight legged creature. Today we got to sit down and get a nice, long demo of Spider: Rite of the Shrouded Moon, and it looks fantastic...

Imangi's Temple Run [Free] is the legendary behind the back runner that kicked off the whole genre. I doubt anyone reading TouchArcade hasn't played either Temple Run or one of the related behind the back runner spinoffs made by every other developer under the sun...

You're likely familiar with Be-Rad Entertainment for their previous iOS releases Lame Castle or the movie tie-in puzzler WarGames:WOPR, and here at GDC they're showing off a new project called A Spire to the Gods. It's a dungeon crawler that's played by uncovering panels of each floor to find the proper path or face whatever might be underneath. It's very similar to what Dungelot does, but is expanded with plenty of RPG elements and levels to play through. Check out the video...

Curious Media is a prolific developer on many platforms, mostly focusing on licensed IP work. However, they're anxious to work on some of their own creations, one of which is Phil the Pill which is heading to iOS later this year. It's a puzzler sort of like Pac-Man where you direct your pill bug down lanes and through barriers, collecting coins and rescuing your pill bug buddies. A constant threat of stinkbug stinky-ness creeps up from the bottom, keeping you on your toes as you play. Check out the hands-on video...

Get Set Games is pretty popular on the iOS and Android platforms with such hits as Mega Jump and Mega Run, and talking with them at GDC in years past it's really clear they're brimming with cool game ideas. One type of game they've always wanted to create is a dual-stick shooter, so they're going for it with their newest creation called Battle Casters. We dive into a pretty early version of Battle Casters in the video below, check it out...

While super difficult, fast-reaction arcade games are nothing new, it feels like ever since Terry Cavanagh's Super Hexagon hit the scene the genre has gained prominence, even earning its own classification called "twitch games." Long-time iOS developer Acceleroto has their own brand of twitch game coming up called Unpossible, and it's absolutely awesome. It feels something like a mix between Impossible Road and Super Hexagon, and sees you barreling down a tube and rotating around its surface to avoid approaching objects. Sounds simple enough on paper, but like its name alludes to, Unpossible is a serious challenge...

The arrival of the iPad has revolutionized many classic gaming pastimes. One example would be board games. While not a complete replacement for physically rolling dice and moving pieces across a board, it sure is convenient to be able to take many board games with you wherever you go, all stored neatly in digital form on your iPad. No pieces to worry about losing, no fuss and no muss. The same can be said about physical jigsaw puzzles. While snapping tiny cardboard pieces together will always have a satisfaction that's hard to match in digital form, the iPad should be a great way to enjoy a jigsaw puzzle experience without the clunkiness of physical pieces...

If you remember earlier this month I posted a trailer for a new game called Star Horizon, a visually-stunning on-rails space shooter from Tabasco Interactive. If you missed that trailer, go check it out now. Seriously, I'll wait. All done? Ok good, because Star Horizon is set to launch later this week, and today the developers have released another new trailer, this time a hands-on video of how the game is actually played using both the normal touchscreen controls and an iOS 7 controller. Check it out...

Word games are a perfect fit for mobile, and Tower Studios' upcoming Word Explorer even seems fit for the jet-setting lifestyle of a mobile gamer. Or, if you're a more sedentary mobile gamer like me, it can at least simulate the feeling of jetting all over the world. Its extensive list of puzzles are based on locations all over the globe, and you'll travel all over as you work towards completing them. The game has an uncanny amount of word puzzles to solve as well as real photos of animals and locations from around the world for you to collect. With little factoids associated with each image, you might even learn something by playing. Check out our lengthy look at Word Explorer...

Another game we saw today at GDC was Leo's Fortune, a super slick looking physics-based platformer featuring a weird green puff named Leopold. You can inflate yourself to float, interact with puzzle elements in game, and more. Additionally, they've made sure that even though some of the platforming elements can be frustrating, you instantly respawn a few seconds back so you never need to replay entire levels:..

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